Demonstration of a Capsule onNeisseria gonorrhoeae

Authors:
  • JHJ. Owen Hendley
    J. Owen Hendley
  • KPKeith R. Powell
    Keith R. Powell
  • RRRichard Rodewald
    Richard Rodewald
  • HHHenry H. Holzgrefe
    Henry H. Holzgrefe
  • RLRobert Lyles
    Robert Lyles
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Abstract
The presence of a capsule on Neisseria gonorrhoeae the causative organism of gonorrhea, has not been convincingly demonstrated.1 However, in 1959 Deacon and his co-workers showed with fluorescent antibody that gonococci in a urethral smear had a "K-antigen" that disappeared progressively over 30 hours of cultivation in vitro.2 In a schematic representation of the K-antigen3 Deacon described it as a capsule on gonococci.The possibility that gonococci can be encapsulated is suggested by the fact that N. meningitidis the other member of the genus neisseria that is pathogenic in man, has a capsule.1 The meningococcal capsule is composed of polysaccharide . . .

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